Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali Rip Into the Quarterfinals

Keramas hosted yet another day of excellent competition for the ASP World Junior Championships in Bali, Indonesia over the weekend. The 3 to 4 ft right broke over the famous reef in Bali, keeping competitors hard at work to score the best rides. Eight surfers remain in the search for perfect scores to earn them the 2012 ASP World Junior Champion title.

Keramas shows off her gorgeous barrels that competitors took full advantage of during Round 4 of competition. Photo: ASP/ Dunbar

Jack Freestone (AUS) brought his game face through out his Round 4 heat to end with a two-wave heat total of 18.17. Freestone managed to score the first perfect 10 point ride of the 2012 Oakley ASP World Junior Championships by completing a shocking full rotation alley-oop aerial.

Jack Freestone (AUS) broke out of his shell with the first 10 point ride of the event. Photo: ASP/ Hain

“I already had a couple of good scores and thought it was time to do a big air,” Freestone said. “I stood up, saw the section and the rotation felt good then I landed, it felt really good. I love this event, I love Bali. I’m looking forward to surfing some more with just one other guy out.”

“It’s great to win that heat,” Lau said. “But you can’t think about it too much because you’ve got another one coming up. Also when the conditions are this good you can’t get over excited. It’s been a great event for me so far, I’m into the Quarterfinals like last year so hopefully this year I can go further.”

Ezekiel Lau (HAW) looks up to the incredible surf Keramas provided him to move onto the Quarterfinals. Photo: ASP/ Hain

Keanu Asing (HAW) was taken down by Andrew Doheny (USA) who impressed the judges and fans with his smooth California style. Doheny is hoping to match a similar result to last year where he made it to the final.

“That heat was gnarly,” Doheny said. “I knew that Keanu (Asing) is good with heat tactics and stuff, so my plan was to try and get the first good wave of the heat and it must have worked. I came second here last year and I want to do as good, if not better because this is my last year in the juniors.”

Andrew Doheny (USA) had to bring his best against Hawaiian competitor, Keanu Asing. Photo: ASP/ Hain

After laying down some of the day’s most impressive turns, Cooper Chapman (AUS) moved into the Quarterfinals of the event.

“I kept falling on the end sections,” Chapman said. “It’s good to know I can still get a good score without completing the wave. This is my first year at the ASP World Junior Championships so it feels great to make it into the Quarterfinals.”

Cooper Chapman (AUS) managed to impress the judges with some of the best turns of the day. Photo: ASP/ Robertson

Despite instilling an interference in the first minute of the heat, Conner Coffin (USA) managed to take the win over Kalani David (HAW). The interference deduction was to lose half of his second scoring ride, after paddling for a wave that Kalani David (HAW) had locked down on the inside position. With impressive strategy, Coffin was able to accumulate the necessary points to advance into the next Round.

“I didn’t think he (Kalani David) was going to make it onto the wave,” Coffin said. “But as soon as I saw that he did, I pulled back. It must have been too late though because I got the interference. I just thought, ‘oh well, at least I get to surf Keramas for another 29 minutes with no one out,’ but then I found a couple of waves and still made it through the heat. Stoked.”

Conner Coffin (USA) didn’t let an interference within the first minute of competition get in his way of moving onto the Quarterfinals. Photo: ASP/ Hain

The closest heat of the day was between Frederico Morais (PRT) and Italo Ferreira (BRA). Morais squeezed in the win with a 0.50 advantage to face Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) in the Quarterfinals.

“I feel like Keramas really suits my surfing,” Morais said. “That heat was close, but I’m in the Quarterfinals now and I’m feeling confident. I’m looking forward to the surfing my Quarterfinal, hopefully we have some more great waves.”

Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) reigns as the last goofy-footer in the Quarterfinals after defeating Thomas Woods (AUS).

“That heat was really hard,” Boukhiam said. “The conditions changed just before I paddled out, it was more like a beachbreak than Keramas. I’ve been training hard, I had a really good European season and I’m just trying to keep the same mind-set at this event.”

As a college graduate from California State University, Long Beach, Emily enters the world with a Bachelor's Degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies and a passion for surfing, cultural diversity and serving others.